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The Leatherworker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg: Being an Account of the Nature of Leather, & of the Crafts Commonly Engaged in the Making & Using of It. — John Shaqi

The Leatherworker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg: Being an Account of the Nature of Leather, & of the Crafts Commonly Engaged in the Making & Using of It.Ford, Thomas K.

History

The Leatherworker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg: Being an Account of the Nature of Leather, & of the Crafts Commonly Engaged in the Making & Using of It.

Name: The Leatherworker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg: Being an Account of the Nature of Leather, & of the Crafts Commonly Engaged in the Making & Using of It.
Author: Ford, Thomas K.

Ford, Thomas K.

Leatherwork -- Virginia -- Williamsburg

[Illustration: _The conjectural drawing at the right shows how
    pieces of metal, wood, and cloth found in 1961 at the bottom of an
    eighteenth-century well in Williamsburg could have formed parts of a
    lady’s sidesaddle of that day. To the left, partially completed, is
    such a saddle copied by today’s master saddler in Williamsburg from
    surviving examples._]




                       _THE ROBERT GILBERT STORY_


Eleven advertisements placed in Williamsburg’s weekly newspaper, the
_Virginia Gazette_, from 1768 to 1783, remain the sole evidence of the
business venture of Robert Gilbert, boot and shoemaker. The story they
tell reveals the hazards faced by most craftsmen in eighteenth-century
Williamsburg: debts piling up, excess stock on hand, shortage of capable
and reliable help, and a market that dried up when the capital moved to
Richmond in 1780.

  ROBERT GILBERT, BOOT and SHOEMAKER, &c. HEREBY acquaints the publick
  that he has opened shop near the Capitol in _Williamsburg_, where he
  intends carrying on his business in all its branches, _viz._ shoe or
  channel, calf or buckskin boots, jockey do. and splatterdashes, mens
  plain, stitched, spring, and wood-heeled, shoes and pumps, calf or
  dogskin; campaign, single, double, or turned channels, slippers, blue
  or red turkey, cork soles, galloches; womens leather, stuff, silk, and
  braided shoes and pumps, slippers, cork soles, galloches, and clogs.
  As he imports the whole of his materials from _Great Britain_, where
  punctual payments are required, he proposes supplying Ladies and
  Gentlemen with any of the above articles on the most reasonable terms,
  for ready money. Those who please to favour him with their custom may
  depend on their work being speedily executed, in the genteelest and
  newest fashions, and in such a manner as he hopes will merit a
  continuance of their favours.

                                     (_Virginia Gazette_, June 30, 1768)


  JOURNEYMEN SHOEMAKERS, who are well acquainted with womens or mens
  wood heeled work, will meet with good encouragement by applying to the
  subscriber in Williamsburg.
                                                          ROBERT GILBERT

  ⁂ He has a large quantity of fine _English_ CALF SKINS on hand, _part_
  of which he would dispose of, on very reasonable terms, for ready
  money.

                                      (_Virginia Gazette_, May 25, 1769)


                                            WILLIAMSBURG, _Dec._ 6, 1770

  I HAVE a parcel of CALF SKINS, and SOLE LEATHER, both back and crop,
  which I will sell, for ready money, on reasonable terms.
                                                          ROBERT GILBERT

                                 (_Virginia Gazette_, December 13, 1770)


  Just IMPORTED from _London_, and to be SOLD by the Subscriber at his
  Shop in _Williamsburg_, cheap, for ready Money,

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Leatherworker in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg: Being an Account of the Nature of Leather, & of the Crafts Commonly Engaged in the Making & Using of It.

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